The Doctor Doom Loops
by KnightMysterio
Summary: Sidestory of the Infinite Loops. (Canonicity still under debate.) Dr. Doom awakens to find himself in a multiverse trapped in an endless time loop. To his horror, he also is forced to admit that he was wrong about everything he had ever believed, and is now millennia behind every other Looper. Will he overcome this new trial, or will despair consume him completely?
1. Chapter 1

_**DR. DOOM LOOPS**_

_**A Sidestory of The Infinite Loops**_

_**by Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires**_

Author's Note: All characters copyrighted to their original owners and used for non-profit entertainment purposes. For more information on the Infinite Loops setting, please look up their wiki or their TV Tropes page. Links provided on request.

_**Admins**_

"...Okay, the Living Tribunal is definitely Looping," Urd said, chuckling as she and Thor walked down the hall. "Because he's obviously bored and trolling you as a way to pass the time."

Thor frowned. "You really think so? Because what he's said makes sense..." the thunderer said, idly fiddling with his warhammer.

Urd snickered. "Okay, devil's advocate. Let's say he's right, and there is more than one multiverse out there. More than one Yggdrasil. SO WHAT? We have this one to worry about, so let's focus on that instead of having existential crises about a bazillion other multiverses. Ignore the Tribunal, you're letting him get to you too much," she said. "Listen, you've obviously been doing Marvel too much lately. Go check on some of the other worlds assigned to you."

Thor just grunted.

Urd took a long drink from the wine bottle she had with her. "Meantime, we've got other problems to worry about..." she muttered. "Lex Luthor, LEX GODDAMN LUTHOR of ALL people, has started Looping..."

Thor blinked. "Wait, what? Wasn't he on our potential MLE watchlist?"

Urd nodded, sighing. "I still can't believe it. He reformed... Lex Luthor reformed, and in the BASELINE no less. Plus before that there was the All-Star Superman scenario in which he realized how much of a dick he was being... Superman's in a tizzy fit about it and I do not freakin' blame him..."

Thor frowned, pulling out a sheaf of papers from a pocket in his cloak. "Funny you should mention that..." he said, handing the papers to her.

Urd frowned, looking them over. She went pale. "WHAT?! HIM!?" she shrieked, staring at Thor. Thor just nodded. Urd groaned. "Skuld's gonna have an aneurism over this one..."

**_Marvel Loops_**  
**_Doom 1.1_**

Iron Man 'awoke' in the Helicarrier's command center. He noticed a SHIELD agent talking to several other Avengers as if she were their leader, and nodded.

"Okay," he said softly. "Avengers Alliance scenario. Cool, I've been wanting to do more work with Iso-8. Maybe I can combine it with those mechanical Elements of Harmony I created..."

He closed his eyes, sending out a 'ping,' feeling a little over twenty others respond to it, including Spider-Man, Captain America, and Squirrel Girl. At the table, Captain America, She-Hulk, and Wasp turned and waved to Iron Man, acknowledging the 'ping' as well, Maria Hill, who had just started Looping recently, coming over to join him. Meanwhile, Ms. Marvel just nodded to him, watching the horizon.

Iron Man nodded. "Good set of Loopers awake this time," he said.

Maria nodded. "I think we have a new one, though," she said. "Can't tell who..."

Maria shrugged. "One never knows..." she said. "I'm still getting used to this whole 'endless time loops thing.'"

Iron Man chuckled. "What was your last loop?"

"Persona 2," Maria said, shuddering. "It went badly. The Loopers were operating under baseline powers and I swear that Nyarlahotep knew what was going on..."

Iron Man grimaced. "Ouch... Lovecraftian monsters are pain to deal with no matter how tough you are..." he said. "You, me, Rhodey, and Pepper are all going out for drinks later."

"I need them..." Maria said. "Hopefully, we won't have to deal..." She turned, spotting something in the distance. "with... anything... too bad..." she trailed off, reaching for her sidearm.

Iron Man lowered his visor, activating the long range scanners. "...Oh hell. INCOMING!"

Everyone scattered just as Dr. Doom burst through the front window of the helicarrier's command center, radiating with fury.

"VON DOOM!" Dr. Doom bellowed. "I know you're here!"

"...wait, what?" said Spider-Man, confused.

Dr. Doom glared about, his armored fists blazing with magical energy. "REED VON DOOM!" he bellowed. "I know you're here! I don't know how you managed to switch our lives, but damn it, I will make you pay for stealing my family from me!"

A horrifying thought occurred to every Looper in the room. "You don't think..." Ms. Marvel said softly.

"No," Spider-Man said, the Anchor shaking his head vehemently. "Not him. Never him." But the way he said it... Spider-Man thought.

Dr. Doom snarled, spotting a confused and disturbed Mr. Fantastic, who was hiding behind one of Invisible Woman's forcefields.

"Victor..." the unAwake Reed Richards said. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"LIES!" Dr. Doom snarled. "You've always been a master of the mystical arts! Swapping our lives wouldn't be above you, MONSTER!" Every Awake Looper in the room suddenly understood.

"Oh my God he is..." Iron Man said softly.

"He's Looping..." Captain America said. "We need to calm him down! AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!"

She-Hulk lifted up the heavy conference table, tossing it at Dr. Doom, while Wasp and Ms. Marvel began blasting him. Iron Man fired a barrage of missiles, while Maria Hill cut loose with her sidearms. Spider-Man swung in with a double-legged kick, catching Doom off guard as he deflected the energy attacks. Cap joined in, flinging his shield at Doom's face.

Doom barely managed to deflect the attacks, flying out of range. "Why are you doing this? We are allies! Reed Von Doom is one of the greatest threats we've ever faced, and somehow he's forced us to switch lives and powers!"

They tried attacking again, Doom easily deflecting their attacks.

"Break out the extra powers," Captain America said softly, pulling his three power rings out of his subspace pocket. The others did the same, Wasp growing to giant size as her wings turned angelic, She-Hulk's skin-colors going photo-negative as she began to vibrate with barely restrained power, Iron Man's armor shifting formation and turning silvery blue with runes lining it. Spider-Man's costume shifted as the Uni-Power swelled up inside him, and Ms. Marvel flared her powers, turning into Binary.

Before they could do anything, though, Maria Hill stepped forward, exhaling a huge cloud of toxic gases that caught Doom off-guard. He couldn't get his armor's filters up in time, and ended up inhaling the noxious fumes, becoming badly poisoned and dizzy. Doom staggered, his armor sizzling from the acidic smoke.

Iron Man stared at her. Maria smirked. "Never had a chance to mention this... the first Loop I was awake? I was a Mithra Blue Mage in Final Fantasy 11."

Captain America put his rings on, his Flag Lantern costume manifesting itself. "He's weakened. KNOCK HIM OUT!"

As Doom purged his system of the Bad Breath attack, he looked up... only to find a massive fist and a multicolored wave of powerful energy heading right towards him. He threw up a shield, but they were overwhelmed in seconds. The energy attacks, plus Wasp's massive fist, and She-Hulk's superspeed attacks shattered his shields and a good portion of his armor, sending him sprawling. The Helicarrier leaned heavily to one side, stabilizing quickly as Doom fell unconscious.

The heroes relaxed, barely, as other SHIELD agents escorted Reed Richards from the room. "Would someone PLEASE tell me what's going on?!" Reed demanded.

Invisible Woman sighed, shaking her head as she stared at Doom's sizzling, unconscious form. "Oh Victor... What the hell are you up to this time?" she said softly, glad that her husband was out of the way for now.

Spider-Man flipped over to her, dispelling the Uni-Power. "So... Doom seems to think that he and Reed switched lives..."

Invisible Woman shook her head. "I remember my last Loop, Spidey, and he wasn't in it," she said. "If it happened, I wasn't awake for it."

"But I was..." Captain America said. "I know the scenario he went through. And we need to get him talking."

Nick Fury's voice came over the comm-link. "WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?!"

Maria shook her head. "Priority 1 Loop Situation. The Bad Doctor is Awake," she said.

Dead silence from Fury's end, followed by a loud curse. "Is he down?"

"For now," Cap said. "But his armor's already starting to repair itself."

Fury swore again. "Get him to a holding cell. I'm contacting EVERY Awake Avenger and X-Man and getting them here. Even with the extra powers and equipment we've got stacked up, I want this guy with so many guns on him he won't be able to TWITCH without getting flattened!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Marvel Loops**_  
_**Doctor Doom 1.2**_

Doom lay unconscious in his holding cell, muttering to himself. Every awake Looper stood in the holding area, staring at him worriedly.

Spider-Man and Squirrel Girl stood off to one side, chatting softly, casting worried glances at the unconscious warlord. All four Hulks clustered together, looking ready to fight at a moment's notice. Professor X, Cyclops, and Phoenix stood together, looking nervous, while Thor stood alongside the Invisible Woman, staring into the cell fiercely. Hawkeye nervously played with an arrow, while Ms. Marvel and Wasp hovered in midair, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Iron Man, War Machine, and Rescue stood off to one side, worriedly talking under their breath, while Maria Hill and Nick Fury just glared at the unconscious warlord.

And sitting down on a folding chair in front of the cell was Captain America, his mask off, sighing wearily.

"Okay..." he said. "Like I said, I was Awake for Doom's Awakening loop. And while I was on ice at the time, a VERY uncomfortable place to wake up in, what I do know is how the story started. Much the same as Reed and Doom's rivalry did in the baseline, but with... a small difference..."

_**The previous loop...**_

"Reed, I can't thank you enough for helping me design the device to help me interpret my strange dreams," Victor Richards, son of a gypsy, said to his comrade.

Reed Von Doom, European aristocrat come to study in the states, just nodded as he fiddled with the wiring on his dream viewing device. "Of course. It's only natural to seek out the help of your betters. And the chance to contact the contact the realm of dreams, the realm of the psyche... why, what man of science would pass that up?" he chuckled.

Victor nodded, looking over the blackboards lining one corner of the room. "Yes. It should be amazing... but Reed, I think you got some of your math wrong here."

Reed froze. "...What," he said.

Victor nodded. "Yeah. There's a miscarried number or two here, and..."

Reed cut him off. "Victor..." he said, scowling, "I appreciate that the dreams we're looking at are yours. But this is MY device. MY genius on display. Do you really think that I wouldn't check my math?"

Victor raised up his hands defensively. "I'm just trying to help," he said.

"Maybe I do not wish for help, hm?" Reed said, glowering at him. "Now shoo. I had thought to get your observations on this, but you are clearly not of an intellectual level capable of understanding it. I have your dreams recorded, I will work from those."

"Reed..." Victor protested.

"SHOO," Reed said, scowling. "I will bring you my results when my experiment inevitably succeeds."

"Okay, okay..." Victor said, heading out.

_**Current loop...**_

"Oh hell..." Invisible Woman shuddered, the story WAY too familiar. "Let me guess. It didn't go too well for Reed?"

Cap nodded. "The 'dreams' were, from what I gathered, Doom's baseline memories. The machine blew up in his face after Nightmare discovered him, but not before he caught a glimpse of a very familiar armor..."

"God help us if he's Dreaming and Awake..." Nick Fury muttered.

"Jesus..." Hawkeye said softly.

Cap nodded. "After that, Reed disappeared, and Doom eventually went on a trip into space, testing a new cosmic energy shielding, with his best friend Benjamin J. Grimm, the love of his life, Susan Storm, and her kid brother, Johnny Storm... Four guesses what happened then..."

"DOOM became Mr. Fantastic?!" War Machine said, startled.

Cap sighed. "When I met him, he preferred to be called Elastiman. But everyone kept calling him that because..." he looked over at Invisible Woman, who was looking more and more ill. "...because the news media heard Sue calling him that as a pet name. He eventually gave up and went with Mr. Fantastic full time."

"Oh God..." Invisible Woman muttered, going over to a wall and leaning against it. "Please tell me that..."

"You had children with him, Sue," Cap said, the gathered heroes giving him a startled look. "Three of them."

THAT made Sue turn around, staring at Cap in shock. She fully remembered her miscarriage, still had nightmares about the child that never was. "Th-three?" she stammered.

Cap nodded, closing his eyes. "Franklin and Valeria lived. The third, Kristoff... was killed by Squirrel Girl."

"Wait. WHAT?!" Squirrel Girl shouted, shocked. "I would NEVER...!"

"You would in that reality, Doreen," Cap said softly. "Because in that reality, you had the personality of Cletus Kassady. Of Carnage."

Squirrel Girl staggered, falling to her knees. Everyone was left in shock by this, save for Nick Fury, who was also Awake in that loop. The veteran agent just sighed, closing his eyes.

Cap started to speak again, only for another voice to interrupt.

"I believe, Captain, that I can take over the story from here," Doom said. The other heroes turned, startled. Doom was now standing up, staring at them, his face barely visible through his hood. He slowly removed his mask, revealing his face, everyone there taken aback by the sadness in his eyes. "My... I suppose they are my 'real' memories... have returned..." he said, grimacing at his next words. "So... so I understand if you want to take precautions to make sure I'm not lying to you..."

The heroes stared at each other uncomfortably for a long moment, before Iron Man pulled something out of his subspace pocket. It was a small device, the shape of an apple. He pressed a button on it, and it glowed with an orange light.

"Element of Honesty," Iron Man explained. "Or at least a replica of it. During one of my Equestrian loops I figured out how to mechanically reproduce the effects of the Elements of Harmony, up to and including the big rainbow redemption laser of doom." He gestured to the apple. "While this thing is active, anyone who is in its presence is completely incapable of lying."

Doom nodded. "I suppose that will have to suffice..." he said. "I will tell you the story of the... Loop, you called it?"

Nick Fury nodded. "Short version is this: the multiverse is broken. Yggdrasil extends farther than even the Asgardians knew, and works more like a big computer than anything else. To keep the multiverse from collapsing in on itself, every reality has been set on an endless time loop by the Admins, who are essentially the Gods, but at a power level that outclasses even biggies like Galactus and the Tribunal. There's always at least one person 'Awake' and aware of the time loops, that person being called an Anchor. Others can Awaken as well, as all of us and now yourself prove. Sometimes people from other realities either drop in or switch places with someone, and sometimes..."

"...sometimes realities will rearrange themselves, creating a variation like the one I lived through," Doom said, nodding. "Who is this world's Anchor?"

"Classified," Nick Fury said, staring at him.

Doom stared back a moment, and nodded. "...Fair enough," he said. "At any rate, the previous Loop. Our adventures as the Fantastic Four proceeded much as they did with Reed in charge in normal reality, with Susan and I becoming ever closer..."

Invisible Woman suddenly shook her head. "I can't... I can't listen to this..." she said, disappearing. The door opened on its own, the sound of Invisible Woman's footsteps going down the hall.

Cap and Iron Man quickly glanced back at Doom, not missing the pain in Doom's expression as Invisible Woman left. "A-Anyway," Doom said, continuing. "Things proceeded as they did normally, up until the first confrontation with... with Reed. He had... a different style than... that I do..."

None of them could miss the pain in Doom's voice as he compared his own villainous acts to Reed's in the previous Loop. What had happened to him, anyway?


	3. Chapter 3

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Marvel Loops

Doctor Doom 1.3

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Doom, still looking pained from Invisible Woman leaving the room, composed himself after a moment and continued. "Yes... ah... where was I?"

"You'd just met Reed again," Spider-Man prompted. The other Awake heroes just stared at Doom, uncertain of what to make of this.

Doom nodded. "Yes... For the most part the confrontation was the same as when I battled the Four, except for something Reed said..."

_**The previous loop...**_

"I've seen your dreams, Victor," Reed Von Doom snarled, his eyes burning with hatred beneath the armor. "I know in my soul that I am your superior in every way, because that is what the dreams have shown me! They even showed me how to make this fine armor..."

Victor Richards frowned, stretching up to meet the man on the platform. "What are you talking about? Reed... What did you see?"

"ENOUGH!" Reed snarled, blasting him away with his armor's gauntlets. "I will not allow you to claim the glory that is rightfully mine! I WILL NOT!"

Victor landed roughly, Ben catching him easily. "Geez, stretch. Be careful. This ain't our old college pal anymore!"

"That is right, you orange-bricked cretin! I am DOCTOR DOOM! And you shall be slain for your insults against me!"

_**The current Loop...**_

"...It was after that near defeat," Doom said, "that I decided to found the Avengers."

"Wait, what?!" Iron Man asked, confused.

"He did, Tony," Spider-Man said. "I was Awake that Loop. It all started when he brought Cap back..." Spider-Man flinched, realizing he interrupted. "S-Sorry..."

"While I am pleased that you show me respect, arachnid," Doom said, "I have the sinking feeling that I am no threat to any one of you individually... Anyway, it all started when I found Captain America, who apparently had been... what was the term? 'Awake?'"

"Awake, yes. And aware. Aware of the fact that being frozen in ice SUCKS," he said. "Ten damn years before someone pulled me out..."

Doom managed to chuckle a little, and continued.

_**The previous loop...**_

Victor stared at the monitor, which was tracking the vitals of the chunk of arctic ice that Johnny had recovered. "...Are you sure there's an actual person in that chunk of ice?"

Johnny nodded. "It's faint, but there is a heat signature in there. And I think it's aware..."

"My God..." Sue said. "He's alive?"

Victor frowned. "Let's get him out of there, then," he said.

Under Victor's direction and with Ben's help, Johnny used his fiery powers to slowly melt the ice, safely removing the man inside of it and revitalizing him.

"...Holy crap, I think that's Captain America!" Ben said, recognizing the shield and the remains of the costume.

Victor blinked. "S-Seriously? I read a lot about him as a kid..." he said, startled when the figure on the table coughed and sat up.

"Well, that was unpleasant..." Captain America said. "Thanks for getting me out of the..." He trailed off, staring at Victor. "Uhh..."

Victor grinned. "I realize this is a bit jarring, sir," he said. "Welcome to 2009, Captain America."

_**The current loop...**_

"Thinking back, your reaction makes more sense..." Doom said, staring down at the floor.

Captain America just grinned weakly.

Doom sighed. "After that, we started gathering heroes. Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor... The Avengers were forming nicely. We even managed to unite with the X-Men. Of course, we still had to deal with threats such as Kang, Hydra, Apocalypse, Galactus... Squirrel Girl...

Doreen squirmed uncomfortably.

Thor shook his head. "'Tis a difficult thing to imagine. Noble Squirrel Girl, a villain of cruelty similar to foul Carnage?"

Spider-Man shook his head, muttering darkly. "You weren't awake for it, big guy," he said. "You didn't see her..."

_**The previous loop...**_

"No... No NO NO GOD NO!" Victor screamed as he looked at the chewed up remains of his infant son. Tears were in his eyes as he collapsed, staring in horror.

Sue, sobbing, fell to her knees beside him as Ben, Spider-Man, and Iron Fist cleared away the squirrels that were still eating the baby's flesh. Outside the window, standing on a tree branch, was Squirrel Girl, who was laughing madly.

"There it is!" she shrieked. "That's the look I love to see! ABSOLUTE pain and misery! HAHAHAHA!" She took off, Spider-Man swinging off after her but unable to catch her.

_**The current loop...**_

Squirrel Girl nervously clutched at her tail, unable what to make of this.

Doom glared at her with such intense hatred that everyone there almost swore the reinforced glass he was staring through started to warp. His fists were clenched tightly. "...I want to kill you so desperately," he said, Squirrel Girl eeping and hiding behind War Machine. Doom shook his head, continuing. "Kristoff... He was my joy. As precious to me as Franklin and Valeria were... And yet here, in what is apparently the normal reality, you are a respected hero... And I am left with naught but memories of a world that never was, and monthly meetings of our recovery group..."

Nick Fury blinked. "Wait, what?"

Doom nodded. "Everyone Squirrel Girl has beaten before has been traumatized by the event," he said, Squirrel Girl flinching as if struck. "We started meeting up to help deal with the nightmares about our defeat. Poor Juggernaut now has a chronic phobia of squirrels, and Moonstone cannot even say the word 'squirrel' without choking up..." Doom continued. "Which reminds me... Someone tell Deadpool it's his turn to host and provide food."

"I... I need to get out of here..." Squirrel Girl said, skittering off, her voice shaking.

"I'll go talk to her," Maria said softly, running off in the same direction she did.

Iron Man stared at Doom, who was pacing around his cell, staring off into space. "...There's more, isn't there?" Stark said softly.

Doom shivered. "You, Pym, McCoy, Banner, Xavier, Strange, and I formed the Illuminati..." he said.

_**The previous loop...**_

"...Seriously?" Hank Pym said. "You really think we can fix everything?"

"Well, why not?" Iron Man said, grinning. "We've got the resources, we've got the powers... I'm already working on adapting the arc reactor to be a limitless energy source for Stark Enterprises, why not the whole world?"

"My brief time as the Horseman Pestilence has given me a rather intimate knowledge of all the world's diseases," Beast said. "I can potentially cure all of them, with the right equipment..."

"A permanent barrier against the realms of Mephisto and Dormammu would be nice..." Dr. Strange said, looking hopeful.

"I'm not too sure about this Negative Zone prison idea..." Bruce Banner said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "There's still Annihilus to worry about, and Blastarr..."

"Ah, but that's the beauty of it," Victor said, grinning widely."Taking care of Annihilus and Blastaar are a part of the plan. We'll regrettably have to kill them, but if we can destroy the Annihilation Wave and put Balur under the control of someone sane..."

"...then we'd have allies in the Negative Zone to help keep the prison under control," Xavier said. "Brilliant!"

Beast grinned. "Gentlemen... I think we can do this!"

_**The current loop...**_

"So we worked together. We fixed the world. We organized and united every superhero on the planet, and even brought in several of the supervillains as part of the United Avengers Alliance..." Doom said softly." And it worked."

The gathered loopers watched Doom as he lowered his head, closing his eyes. For a long moment, he was silent. When he spoke again, his voice was barely audible, different from the booming thunder it used to be.

"The equation wasn't the same as the original, but the mathematical errors were the same as my own. Without my hatred of Richards, I was able to fix the world, and bring it to a new utopia alongside my fellow intellectuals. In this reality, the hated menace that murdered my third child is a courageous hero with a habit of accidentally traumatizing her foes. My beloved wife and the mother of my children is my enemy, and I am but a recurring villain. And now, my hated enemies have advanced so far ahead of me that even my lauded might is as nothing against them. Without my hatred, I made a difference. But here, in this world, apparently our real world... My life literally no longer has purpose, and because of the time loops, suicide would be pointless."

"Victor, wait..." Iron Man said.

Doom just shook his head. He pressed a button on his gauntlet, the electronic locks on his jail cell being hacked in seconds, the doors opening.

Nick Fury swore angrily, wondering how he kept learning the helicarrier's security codes.

Doom strode out of the cell, the heroes parting around him, unsure of what to say. "Hnh..." was all Doom said before walking off, the heroes unsure of what to say to him. He passed Invisible Woman in the halls, and paused, staring at her with a pained expression.

"Susan..." he said softly.

"Don't," she said, looking away from him. "Don't even bother. No matter what happened between the Unawake me in that world, I will always see you as nothing more than the monster who sent my children to Hell. I HATE you, Victor. The love you had with that version of me, I can never return..."

Doom shivered. "Yes... I see..." he said, stepping away from her and walking off. "Then I have no purpose here at all, then... Tell the world that they need fear Latveria no more, for Doctor Doom is no longer a threat..."

The two of them looking away from each other, Doom slowly walked away, his head held low, feeling completely and utterly defeated...

**_Admins..._**

"Send him traveling," Skuld said.

Thor blinked. "Wait, what?!"

Skuld shook her head. "We don't need a Nihilist Looper. Send him travelling," she said, scribbling several worlds down on a notepad and giving them to the thunder god. "Starting with these worlds. I'll send out a general alert to every Anchor."

Thor frowned. "Aren't you worried about Doom getting new abilities and powers like the others?"

"I'm WORRIED about his depression turning into full Nihilism that might cause him to try and destroy Yggdrasil! And he's one of the handful of Loopers who could actually do it! I don't want him anywhere near Castle Doom's resources again until I'm dead certain he's not gonna crash all the damn loops at once!" Skuld snapped, storming off. "I swear, if a new MLE shows up, my head's gonna explode..."

Thor looked down at the list, and shrugged. "Okay then," he said. "Time to send Doom out and about... Hope you like ponies, big man..."


End file.
